from the guest post "Let’s face it, reading logs are typically not accurate in time read or books finished. From forged signatures to parents exaggerating the time their student spends in a book, reading logs do very little to motivate students or to instill a love of books. If the purpose of reading logs is to create habitual readers why do they continually fail both students and teachers? What alternatives to tracking pages or time offer more value and choice to readers?"

I was demonstrating to some students how to access our e-book collection. One boy asked if he could tell how many pages a book had before he borrowed it. I said no. After borrowing and finding out it had 65 pages he decided he didn't want it after all. I thought one of the hooks was that if a child could not see the actual book they would not be put off by the size of it. This does not seem to be the case in this instance.

January is the season for resolutions and reading challenges. I resolve to answer emails this year instead of thinking really hard about answering them, getting distracted, and never giving them another thought, and I’ve chosen a reading challenge focusing on... Read More ›

Kelly Jensen writes: "For some of us, winter feels like it encompasses not a season, but half of a year. It’s a time of quiet and a time when things seem to be dialed back in the world around us (except, perhaps, in places where you get to experience snow or sleet or freezing rain or freezing fog and know exactly what kind of snow is best for making snowmen and what kind will break your back while shoveling). It’s also a time when many begin to really feel the impact of seasonal affective disorder and moods and energy can be low."

Kelly shares a lot of ideas which can easily be translated into displays. (I'm going to be cutting more snowflakes to make a chain of books student read over our three week winter break.) I'm looking forward to her spring list. If you're planning far ahead, here are links to her summer and fall lists

Working in a library I often get asked not only for recommendations for books for children but also for ways to encourage reluctant readers. A fun way to get children into reading is with book related apps, some can be used for learning to read and others which link to a well known series and…

I used to ask students to write in their reader's notebook for a few minutes every day after they finished reading. Some days they could write about whatever, other days I had a specific prompt. Just four minutes because four always seems less daunting than five. Just four minutes to give me a feel…

Elizabeth Hutchinson's insight:

Sometimes asking students to do a task after reading will put them off. Interesting read.

New data from a survey of more than 37,000 educators revealed that first-year teachers aren't using tech in the classroom as much as their more experienced colleagues even though they have a higher opinion of their own technological abilities.

My friend John Spencer had shared this on Facebook tonight As I got ready to share the quote myself, the comment below it caught my eye... "It's also the job of the school to push children to read books that challenge them and take them out of their comfort zone. Diary of a Wimpy Kid,…

According to the Scholastic survey, three-quarters of parents reported wishing their kids read more for fun. But how exactly do parents do that?

Though there may not be a single secret, there are evidence-based things families can do to encourage kids to read outside of efforts made at school, said University of Virginia psychology professor Daniel Willingham, author of Raising Kids Who Read: What Parents and Teachers Can Do. And the first one is tweaking the reasons behind wanting kids to read in the first place.

Willingham wants parents to re-imagine the act of reading as having less to do with school and more with a life well-lived. Instead of telling kids that reading books will help them get good grades or find a good career, he said, make reading part of a larger family value: loving to learn.

“Reading is part of a broader context of values that parents communicate to children,” Willingham said. “These are families who value learning new things. And not just in the context of school.”

When learning about the world through books becomes a family value instead of a school responsibility, parents are no longer seen as enforcers: instead they’re the enjoyers, Willingham suggests. Kids may then absorb the values message, ‘reading is important to who we are; reading is what we do.’

Library Celebrations & Reading Promotions Throughout The Year - Australia Month Celebrations Resources Connections (Curriculum, Events, etc…) Display & Bulletin Board Ideas New Book Releases New Movies Based on Books Special Notes January West Australian Young Readers Awar

Sharing your scoops to your social media accounts is a must to distribute your curated content. Not only will it drive traffic and leads through your content, but it will help show your expertise with your followers.

Integrating your curated content to your website or blog will allow you to increase your website visitors’ engagement, boost SEO and acquire new visitors. By redirecting your social media traffic to your website, Scoop.it will also help you generate more qualified traffic and leads from your curation work.

Distributing your curated content through a newsletter is a great way to nurture and engage your email subscribers will developing your traffic and visibility.
Creating engaging newsletters with your curated content is really easy.